Guinea-Bissau Holds Referendum to Shift to Presidential System

The Military Junta of Guinea-Bissau, which seized power in November 2025, is holding a constitutional referendum on August 30, 2026. The proposed charter seeks to transition the country from a semi-presidential system to a presidential one, granting the president the authority to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and cabinet, create or abolish ministries, and dissolve parliament during crises.

Additional reforms include reducing the number of parliamentary seats from 102 to 65 and implementing stricter residency and financial requirements for presidential candidates. The junta, led by General Horta Inta-A Na Man, argues these changes will stabilize national institutions and end political deadlocks ahead of scheduled elections on December 6.

Opposition groups and civil society organizations have urged a boycott of the vote, claiming the process lacks legitimacy. The African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde and the Human Rights League argue the move consolidates excessive power in a single individual. Critics suggest the new framework may be designed to restore former President Umaro Sissoco Embaló to office. The referendum takes place amid restricted public freedoms, the suspension of the Constitutional Court, and the pre-trial detention of opposition leader Domingos Simões Pereira.